Tackless plastic stair nose



April 2, 1957 L. MERMER 2,787,036

' TACKLESS PLASTIC STAIR NOSE Filed April 9. 195; 2 Shets-Sheet 1 1 N VEN TOR.

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April 2, 1957 l. 1.. MERMER 2,787,036

TACKLESS PLASTIC STAIR NOSE Filed April 9. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z (2::v v

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INI'EN.TOR. BY

LLLmN-R/ flzrm'x United States Patent TACKLESS PLASTIC STAlR NOSE IrvingL. Mermer, Yonkers, N. Y. Application April 9, 1953, Serial No. 347,755

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-79) This invention relates to plastic stair noses, andmore particularly to stair noses having a channel disposed at the rearof the tread.

The carpeting of a flight of stairs is subjected to greatest wear at thepoint of juncture of the tread and riser of each step.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plastic nose to protectthe above-stated point of greatest wear.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means of securinga plastic stair nose without having said means apparent to the eye.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a stair nose havinga tread section with a concealed reversed flap at its rear.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent uponreading the following descriptive disclosure taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of an embodiment of this invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the longitudinal V-shaped gripper used to holddown the tread of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the gripper used to hold the plastic nose inposition,

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing the manner of securing the flap of thetread of the plastic stair nose through the carpet and into a woodenstair tread,

Fig. 6 is an end view of an embodiment of the invention wherein thetread is provided with a corrugated wearing surface,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the tread shown in Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is an end view of an embodiment of a gripper adapted to securethe tread flap of the stair nose shown in Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the gripper shown in Fig. 8 showing thearrangement of the spaced-apart punch-out cleats.

Fig. 10 is a detailed view showing the manner of securing the flap ofthe tread with the gripper of Fig. 8,

Fig. 11 is another embodiment of this invention showing a tread having apuckered wearing surface and a spring-back riser,

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 11,

Fig. 13 is an end view of an embodiment of the gripper of this inventionshowing another form of cleats,

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the gripper shown in Fig. 13,

Fig. 15 is a detailed section showing the manner of securing a plasticstair nose to a carpet fabric by means of the gripper of Fig. 13,

Fig. 16 is an end view of a modification of this invention showing atread flap with a slot head,

Fig. 17 is a top view of Fig. 6, broken away in part,

to show the position of a normally hidden tack adapted to secure thetread flap to a stair tread, and

Fig. 18 is a section view through a slot and showing the manner ofsecuring the tread flap to a carpeted stair tread.

Referring to Figs. l-5 inclusive, a plastic stair nose 1, which may betransparent, translucent or opaque, is provided with a tread section 2,a nose section 3, and a riser section 4. This stair nose is generally ofa size to fit over the nose formed by the tread and riser of a step.

The rear of the stair nose tread 2 is integrally provided at its bottomwith a flap 5 disposed in spaced relation to the bottom surface of thetread 2. This spaced apart effect of the tread and its integrallysecured flap is accomplished by providing a curved section 6 to the rearof the tread 2.

The top surface of the flap 6 may be provided with a corrugation 7 foreffective securing of the gripper 8 shown in Fig. 2. The gripper 8 is aV-shaped longitudinal angle iron having the top inner surface of oneV-leg 9 provided with a corrugation 10. The other leg 11 is providedwith a plurality of apertures 12 adapted to receive tacks for securingsaid leg 11 to a stair tread.

Fig. 5 shows the manner of disposing of ilap 5 between the clinched legsof the V-shaped gripper 8. Tacks 13 (shown in dotted outline), aredisposed in the apertures 12 and through the carpet and thence into thewooden stair tread. The stair noses of this invention when secured tothe stair treads as described, are firmly held in place against thecarpet of both the carpeted stair treads and risers. The stair noseriser is flexible, being made preferably of plastic, and since the riseris turned inwardly (Fig. 1) it firmly engages the carpeted verticalriser of a stair step.

Figs. 6 to 10 show a modification of this invention wherein the tread 2is provided with a corrugated wearing surface formed by a plurality oflongitudinal spacedapart bars 16 integrally united to the tread 2.

The V-shaped gripper 17 of Fig. 8 is provided with a plurality oftriangular spaced-apart teeth 17X formed by punching out and bendingV-shaped cut-outs in leg 18 of the gripper 17. The leg 19 of the gripper17 is provided with two rows of spaced apart apertures, one of said rowsis to receive the securing tacks 20 (shown in dotted outline) and theother is to receive the teeth 17X.

As shown in Fig. 10 the tack 20 passes through carpet 14 and thence intothe wooden tread 15 of the step. The tooth 17X after passing through theaperture provided therefore in the leg 19 of the gripper 17 is partlydisposed into the carpet 14.

In the modification shown in Figs. l1l5 inclusive the tread 2 isprovided with a top wearing surface 21, said surface having a puckeredappearance. In this modification the base of the riser 4 is providedwith a bulbous section 22. The bulbous section is disposed inwardly ofthe nose 3 so that when the stair nose riser is disposed against thecarpet riser it engages the same in a springlike action.

Fig. 13 shows a V-shaped gripper wherein the top leg 23 is provided withshort rectangular shaped cleats 24, the bottom leg 25 of the gripper ofFig. 13 is provided with a first row of spaced-apart apertures 26adapted to receive tacks for securing said gripper to a stair tread, andwith a second row of spaced apart apertures 27 adapted to receive therectangular cleats 24.

As shown in Fig. 14 the rectangular cleats 24 are prepared by punchingout rectangular shaped cut-outs so as to hinge them on a short side ofthe rectangle.

In Fig. 15 the gripper is shown in clinched position with the cleatsimbedded in the carpet 14.

Figs. 16-18 inclusive show a further modification of this inventionwherein the flap 5 is provided with a plu rality of spaced-apart slots28. These slots preferably terminate in a round cavity adapted toreceive the shank of a carpet tack. In securing the stair nose of themodification shown in Figs. 16-18 a plurality of spacedapart tacks 29are linearly disposed at an appropriate distance from the stair nose.and through the carpet disposed on a carpeted step and thence into thewooden step itself. In securing the stair nose of the modification ofFigs. 16l8 to the tacks disposed in the carpeted stair tread the tacks29 are so hammered in place as to leave a distance between the tack headof the carpet substantially equal to the thickness of the flap 5. Insecuring the tread of the modifications of the stair nose shown inmodifications 16-18 in place over a step, the slots offlap are disposedbehind the corresponding tacks 29, said slots and said tacks havingidentical spacedapa-rt relation. The .flap 5 is then pulled forward sothat the cavity of slot 25% engages the shank of the tack 29; therebyfirmly securing the flap in position. The stair nose of this lattermodification, Figs. l618, can be removed and a new stair nosesubstituted therefor without disturbing the tacks 29.

The lower surface of tread 2 is preferably provided with pointedlongitudinal ribs 31), which are molded integrally with said tread 2,the height of said ribs 30 being sufficient to prevent sag when steppedupon. The ribs 2,7e7,ose

also act as a gripper and avoid crushing of the carpet piletherebeneath.

While this invention has been described and shown by a plurality ofembodiments, it is apparent that other modifications fall within itsscope. These various modifications are all intended to be covered by theclaim appearing herein.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is as follows:

In means for the protection of carpets disposed over a flight of stairs,an integral V-shaped gripper having a lower horizontal section bearing,a plurality of nailing elements for securing said gripper over a carpetcovering a stair tread and .an upper longitudinal section hav ingdownwardly extending teeth, and in combination with said gripper anL-shaped stair nose, bent downwardly along its longitudinal rear margin,said margin merging with an inwardly extending horizontal flange havingan upper toothed surface engaging the teeth of said gripper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,528,147 Durkee Mar..3, 1925 2,051,191 Watson Aug. 18, 1936 2,498,991Gibson Feb. 28, 1950

